Baroness Symons of Vernham

Rt Hon Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean is a senior Labour member of the House of Lords and a business leader. Formerly Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Symons was a Minister in the UK Government from 1997 until stepping down in 2005. Among her government posts she was Minister for the Middle East, Minister for International Trade and Minister for Defence Procurement, and the Prime Minister’s envoy to the Gulf. She has a wide range of experience in the Middle East in particular, and currently chairs the UK Parliament’s all party group on Qatar, the Saudi-British Joint Business Council and the British Egyptian Society. Previously a trade union general secretary, she was an Equal Opportunities Commissioner and a governor of the London Business School. As well as working closely with DLA Piper, Baroness Symons is now involved with a number of other commercial organisations, including roles as a non-executive director of both British Airways, and as an adviser to other companies, including those with strong Middle East links, and with a number of not-for-profit organisations, including the International Red Cross."


 * Director, Suzanne Mubarak Women's International Peace Movement